The Economist magazine notes it has been 20 years since there has been any evidence of global warming.

You remember global warming. It was the crisis that called for reordering the way the entire world works: No more gas and oil. Only alternative “green” fuels to keep down carbon emissions. Global taxes. World government.

Al Gore staked his reputation, such as it was, on this hoax.

Even more shocking was the way the scientific elite bought into the fraud. There were grants at stake. No one wanted to be a heretic. Those who dared to look at reality and actual facts were vilified as “climate-change deniers.”

The government schools and academia made it their cause celebre. The media establishment whipped up the hysteria to a fever pitch.

And, of course, all that pseudo-scientific pressure persuaded politicians in Washington and capitals around the world to take action – all of which empowered government at the expense of the citizenry and truth.

Of course, none of these individuals and institutions, so heavily staked in the myth of catastrophic manmade climate change, are yet backing down, admitting error or even questioning their own assumptions.

That will take another 20 years of falling or stable temperatures, explains Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the International Panel on Climate Change. James Hansen, the head of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, offered up the excuse that the lowered than predicted temperatures could be explained by increased emissions from burning coal – something he previously labeled as part of the problem.

One expert came close to admitting the entire theory is at least at risk: David Whitehouse of the Global Warming Policy Foundation said, “The global temperature standstill shows that climate models are diverging from observations. If we have not passed it already, we are on the threshold of global observations becoming incompatible with the consensus theory of climate change.”

All along the public was told the reason for rising temperatures was a result of the increase in global carbon emissions. Yet carbon emissions continue to rise, while temperatures do not.

The Economist says the world has added roughly 100 billion tons of carbon to the atmosphere between 2000 and 2010, about one-quarter of all the carbon dioxide put there by humans since 1750.

So what happened to the predictions of gloom and doom?

Don’t expect those with vested interests in what has become something resembling a religious belief to give up their faith when confronted with mere facts.

Their only alternative is to find another pseudo-crisis on which to make their case for reordering civilization to their liking.

Lots of money has already been made on climate change. And much productivity and employment has been lost by heeding the scaremongers.

Don’t expect Al Gore to give back his Nobel Peace Prize or apologize for frightening schoolchildren.

Don’t expect scientists whose livelihoods depend on government grants to suddenly see the light.

Don’t expect government schools to stop the indoctrination of kids.

Don’t expect the universities to reverse course.

Don’t expect to hear any mea culpas from the semi-official news media.

In other words, don’t expect the facts to get in the way of a socio-political, pseudo-scientific narrative so entrenched in our culture.

Not for at least another 20 years will the zealots give up on their pet peeves with humanity and industry – at least not until they find another cause that will keep them busy with lucrative doomsday scenarios that empower them and bring them celebrity.

As for me, I’d rather be called a climate-change denier than a denier of truth and reality.